Morning Megawatt 10 October 2017

All-India RTC clearing price crashed 16% to Rs 3.92/kWh, the lowest in 7 trading sessions. The sharp drop in price was the direct result of reduced demand from the eastern region. Bihar and West Bengal reduced their procurement which resulted in 16% decline in buy bids volume while sell bids volume jumped 12% to 211 MUs, crossing 200 MUs-mark for the first time since 19 September.

WESTERN REGION: Plant revivals on 10 October may increase supply in the western region. An 830 MW unit of Tata Power Mundra UMPP and a 660 MW unit of Sasan UMPP were revived. A unit each of Utran gas power plant (Gujarat) and Dahanu thermal power plant (Maharashtra) was revived; both had been shut due to low fuel supply.

NORTHERN REGION: A 200 MW unit of Obra thermal power plant in Uttar Pradesh was shutdown on 9 October due to a technical issue. A 250 MW unit of Suratgarh power plant in Rajasthan was shutdown due to coal shortage.

EASTERN REGION: Bihar increased grid import by 2.1%, from 80.9 MUs to 82.6 MUs, however, supply from central sector power plants increased 18.7%, from 45.9 MUs to 54.5 MUs. Supply from central sector power plants may have also increased for West Bengal, resulting in lower procurement from IEX.